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Google just launched an update for Google+ that brings a number of significant visual updates to the company’s social backbone. The first things Google+ users will notice when they visit their profile pages is a prompt to change the cover images for their profiles. The new profile pages allow for cover photos that are much larger than before (2120px by 1192px). This, Google says, provides more “room for your selection to shine.”

While these new oversized cover photos are the first thing you’ll likely notice, Google also made a number of other changes to the profile pages. All of your local reviews, for example, are now available in one place under the “Reviews” section of your profile. Just like with all the other tabs on your profile, Google+ gives you the option to hide this new tab, so you can keep your love for Guy’s American Kitchen and Bar under wraps, or you can use it to highlight your favorite restaurants.

The About tab now features a completely new design that organizes all of your information into separate Google Now-like cards (Basic Information, People, Story, Work, Places, Links, etc.). As before, you can obviously still share specific fields with select circles and all of the new cards also feature prominent ‘edit’ links that make keeping your profile updated a little bit easier.

Google says these updates are rolling out gradually, so give it a few hours if you don’t see them on your profile yet.

Google, by the way, also quietly revamped the hovercards that appear when you hover over a user’s avatar on the site. The new hovercards are also now significantly larger (and feature your cover photo). In addition, you can use them to initiate a Hangout, send an email to the person and to start a text chat.

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CrunchBase

DescriptionA Google project headed by Vic Gundotra and Bradley Horowitz, Google+ is designed to be the social extension of Google.
Its features focus on making online sharing easy for users.
"Circles," think social circles, akin to Facebook's lists.
"Sandbar," a user-unifying toolbar.
"Sparks," a search engine for sharing content between users.
"Messenger," a group …

DescriptionA Google project headed by Vic Gundotra and Bradley Horowitz, Google+ is designed to be the social extension of Google.
Its features focus on making online sharing easy for users.
"Circles," think social circles, akin to Facebook's lists.
"Sandbar," a user-unifying toolbar.
"Sparks," a search engine for sharing content between users.
"Messenger," a group …